JohnS Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 I thought I’d add Traviata to double Coppelia tomorrow, in part avoiding a rushed journey. Always a favourite and many years since I last saw it, I wasn’t overwhelmed by tonight’s performance and went back to thinking I’d been spoiled far too much in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Some fine passages but too much acting by numbers, taking off a coat and then putting it back on, too much pacing around, swapping positions, when the music has so much to say. Even Simon Keenlyside, playing an old Giorgio Germont, was forever moving his stick from one hand to the other - surely an elderly person who uses a stick holds it in one hand. Liparit Avetisyan fiddled with his tie/collar on every stage entry and looked as if he’d stepped out of L'elisir d'amore. And Hrachuhi Bassenz has a difficult task convincing me that she’s consumptive although I enjoyed much of her singing. Some very lugubrious tempo. I’ve rather restricted visits to opera as I’ve been a little disappointed by some performances and I’d be interested to know if this cast is seen as pretty representative of today’s ROH standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 What a disappointment, John! I think that some of the problems have to stem from the inevitable Traviata fatigue that must set in with such lengthy revivals of the same production, year upon year, without fail, and frequently spanning both the winter and summer months. i didn’t book this time round for that reason and because, notwithstanding Keenlyside’s Germont, I wasn’t overly enamoured by any of the casts. Last time round featured the wonderful Ermonela Jaho, reigning ‘Queen of Tragedy’ who manages to make anything compelling. Perhaps Ruth or Geoff or someone better placed to comment could offer their views. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 22 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: Last time round featured the wonderful Ermonela Jaho, reigning ‘Queen of Tragedy’ who manages to make anything compelling. Indeed. Although there was a nasty episode when Jaho was trying to make music and Plácido Domingo made horrid noises at the same time. Whatever sins Domingo may or may not have committed in other areas, this should have been enough to get him banned from the stage. I didn’t book anything this run as the various Violettas haven’t set my heart racing, although in one or two cases the names are new to me so perhaps one should make the effort (after all, this is traditionally a part when new voices break through). Does anyone have tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 2 hours ago, Geoff said: Indeed. Although there was a nasty episode when Jaho was trying to make music and Plácido Domingo made horrid noises at the same time. Whatever sins Domingo may or may not have committed in other areas, this should have been enough to get him banned from the stage. Agreed. I stopped attending Domingo performances some time ago for purely musical reasons. I would not dream of speculating upon other matters but, putting those aside, I can see few reasons apart from nostalgia for choosing him as a baritone in preference to others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 On 28/12/2019 at 11:02, Geoff said: I didn’t book anything this run as the various Violettas haven’t set my heart racing, although in one or two cases the names are new to me so perhaps one should make the effort (after all, this is traditionally a part when new voices break through). Does anyone have tips? I saw Hrachuhi Bassenz on opening night and she was fine, but no more, while the tenor Liparit Avetisyan really struggled with the conductor's tempo choices and kept drifting flat. My hot tip, were you to pick one cast this time, would be Kristina Mkhitaryan, who I saw in the same role at Glyndebourne, and impressed me very much. She gave the whole performance a real sense of heavy melancholy. I'm going to see one of hers in a couple of weeks' time, and she doesn't have Daniel Oren's conducting to contend with, either. But I fear last January's marvellous run, not all of which had Placido Domingo in it, has ruined me forever. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 23 minutes ago, RuthE said: and she doesn't have Daniel Oren's conducting to contend with, either. I saw that one critic gave him (and his hirer) both barrels the other day. It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 5 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me! Decades ago I was told that most ROH mysteries can be explained by its proximity to Freemasons' Hall. At the time I thought this was nonsense but some subsequent events have given me pause. The orchestra, for example, is an interesting case. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: I saw that one critic gave him (and his hirer) both barrels the other day. It’s one of the RO’s great mysteries that he returns every year - I wish someone could explain it to me! Without naming any names, I have had this discussion with: - principals - choristers - orchestral musicians ...and none of them seem to know! (Edited to add: I hope this post doesn't break forum rules. If they DID know, I know the forum wouldn't let me tell you, but they don't, so it's a moot point.) Edited January 6, 2020 by RuthE 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Does (Kerry) Katona’s brief extend to guesting conductors or is that the province of his more August colleagues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 I am now hearing excellent things about Dinara Alieva's debut last night. Sadly if I want to see/hear one of her performances I will need to stomach Oren again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 15 hours ago, Scheherezade said: (Kerry) Katona’s brief Is this an in-joke that I don't know about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Only if you are less familiar with the members of Atomic Kitten than certain other opera-goers some time back in the past. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 20 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: Only if you are less familiar with the members of Atomic Kitten than certain other opera-goers some time back in the past. I’m now expecting Liz McLarnon and Natasha Hamilton to pop up in the pit! 😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Don’t give the BBC ideas! No, they’ve already done the ‘celebrity’ conducting gig, haven’t they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 7 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: Don’t give the BBC ideas! No, they’ve already done the ‘celebrity’ conducting gig, haven’t they. I recall that being quite fun (towards the end...)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 To be honest, I can only really remember the end. Wasn’t it Sue of ‘Mel and ...’ who won? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: To be honest, I can only really remember the end. Wasn’t it Sue of ‘Mel and ...’ who won? it was, and I recall she was actually quite good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Don't you just love thread drift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 It’s the James Joyce in all of us, Alison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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